With all the excitement surrounding the Mercury’s fast start to the 2009 season, it’s not surprising to see them have a strong showing in early All-Star Ballot returns.

However, what might be surprising is just how strong.

The list is somewhat confusing with several players listed in different positions than you might think (Cappie as a Forward, Lauren Jackson as a Forward etc.), but here are some interesting tidbits none the less…

Mercury Dominating West Votes

• Diana Taurasi leads all players with 32,921 votes, and is obviously 1st in her category (Guards)
• Cappie Pondexter is 1st in West Forwards (yes, Forwards) with 26,701 votes
• Tangela Smith is 2nd in West Centers with 16,730 votes
• Temeka Johnson is 4th in West Guards with 17,775 votes
• DeWanna Bonner is 3rd in West Forwards with 17,973 votes
• Total votes for the Mercury (112,100) are the most out of any WNBA team, (next closest is the Fever with 101,148 total votes)

Other Notes

• Candace Parker received 9,579 votes (we knew this would happen)
• DeWanna Bonner has received only a few hundred less votes than former MVP Lauren Jackson and by far, the most total votes out of any rookie this season
• Lisa Leslie will undoubtedly start in the All-Star game with almost 10,000 more votes than her closest competitor Tangela Smith
• Temeka Johnson (17,775) trails Becky Hammon (18,050) by just a few hundred votes
• Unless something drastically changes, the All-Star starters for the West will be Cappie Pondexter, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Lauren Jackson, and Lisa Leslie
• For the East, it looks like the starters will be Tamika Catchings, Candace Dupree, Sylvia Fowles, Katie Douglas, and Lindsay Whalen

The All-Star game will air nationally on ABC on July 25th.

July 2nd, 2009 11:06 AM